Every Picture Tells a Story


Every Picture Tells a Story, released May 1971, is the third album by Rod Stewart. It incorporates hard rock, folk, and blues styles. It went to number one on both the UK and US charts and finished third in the Jazz & Pop critics' poll for best album of 1971. It has been an enduring critical success, including a number 172 ranking on Rolling Stones 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

History

The album is a mixture of rock, country, blues, soul, and folk, and includes Stewart's breakthrough hit, "Maggie May", as well as "Reason to Believe", a song from Tim Hardin's debut album of 1966. "Reason to Believe", with Pete Sears on piano, was released as the first single from the album with "Maggie May" as the B-side, however, "Maggie May" became more popular and was a No. 1 hit in both the UK and US.
The album includes a version of Arthur Crudup's "That's All Right " and a cover of the Bob Dylan song "Tomorrow Is a Long Time," an outtake from Dylan's 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.
All five members of the Faces appeared on the album, with guitarist/bassist Ronnie Wood and keyboardist Ian McLagan on Hammond B3 organ being employed most. Due to contractual restrictions, the personnel listings were somewhat vague, and it was unclear that the full Faces line-up recorded the version of the Motown hit " I'm Losing You". Other contributors included Ray Jackson on mandolin. Micky Waller on drums. Maggie Bell performed backing vocals on the title track, and Madeline Bell sang backup on the next track, "Seems Like A Long Time". Pete Sears played all the piano on the album except for one track, "I'm Losing You", which had Ian McLagan on piano, along with the Faces as a band.
The album reached the number-one position in both the UK and the US at the same time that "Maggie May" was topping the singles charts in both territories.
The Temptations cover, "I Know I'm Losing You" reached the top 40, at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

Reception

In his original Rolling Stone review, John Mendelsohn wrote: "Boring as half of it may be, there's enough that is unqualifiedly magnificent on the other half." However, Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave the album a glowing review, writing: "Rod the Wordslinger is a lot more literate than the typical English bloozeman, Rod the Singer can make words flesh, and though Rod the Bandleader's music is literally electric it's the mandolin and pedal steel that come through sharpest."

Legacy

The album has been an enduring critical success, including a number 172 ranking on Rolling Stones 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list. In 1992, the album was awarded the number-one spot in Jimmy Guterman's book The Best Rock 'N' Roll Records of All Time: A Fan's Guide to the Stuff You Love. It was ranked 99th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time.
In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Without greatly altering his approach, Rod Stewart perfected his blend of hard rock, folk, and blues on his masterpiece, Every Picture Tells a Story."

Track listing

Notes
On the album's liner notes, the names of two alcoholic beverages are interspersed amongst the personnel credits.
Technical

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
Australian Albums Chart23
Dutch Albums Chart47
U.S. Billboard Pop Albums65

Certifications